Let them do the advertising for you

Social Networking sites such as MySpace are full of young people (and some older) looking for new and innovative ways to personalize their “space.” Many MySpacer’s choose to personalize their page with images from their favorite movies, TV shows, bands, books, comedians, actors and actresses.

Sony Pictures has teamed up with Photobucket.com to create branded Spider-Man 3 skins for the Photobucket’s popular slideshow tool. The tool allows users to upload their own photographs, which are then organized into a slideshows and displayed in a Spider-Man 3 branded window. Users can post the slideshows on their own MySpace pages and blogs as well as on their friend’s pages.

Now social networkers, who are already searching for ways to associate themselves with their favorite products, can do the advertising for you. They are already looking for ways to showcase the things they love. This is a great way to facilitate the word of mouth advertising and hopefully create a buzz throughout the social networking space.

Consumers’ Choices Benefit Online Advertisers

A unique online advertising method benefits casual game players as well as advertisers. Players are allowed to choose the type of ads they will receive, using a technology called Sponsor Select. This helps the viewer, since they are not annoyed by ads that are of no interest to them.



The arrangement provides advertisers with viewers that are, by their own admission, interested in the type of products they are advertising. It is much more efficient to spend ad dollars on viewers who are already pre-qualified in this manner. Ads would seem much less intrusive since the consumer had, in effect, asked for them. This puts them in a more receptive mood, making a purchase more likely.

Additionally, viewers may feel a stronger connection and loyalty toward the advertisers when they are given this choice. Hello, long-term brand equity!